Rocker-Arm Lock Device for Adjustable Steering Column
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable steering column assemblies have actuating levers located on the sides of the steering column, requiring a pivoting motion that limits packaging, restricts driver comfort, and changes lever position relative to the steering wheel during adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A rocker-arm lock device with an indexing apparatus that allows for central actuation, enabling both longitudinal and tilt adjustments without needing to hold a lever, featuring a carrier with indexing rails and pads that maintain a locked position through a biasing force, ensuring smooth operation and robust design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If actuating levers are located on the left or right hand sides of the steering column and actuated via pivoting movement, then the lock device can be actuated, but packaging ability is limited and driver comfort and convenience are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tilt and telescoping lock devices into a single integrated rocker-arm lock device with a common actuator lever. This merging eliminates the need for separate side-mounted levers, improving packaging ability while maintaining ease of operation through a centralized control mechanism that the driver can access conveniently.
Solution Approach 2:
The single actuator lever serves multiple functions by controlling both the tilt and telescoping adjustments through the rocker-arm mechanism. This multi-functional design improves packaging ability by eliminating redundant components while enhancing driver convenience through a unified control interface.
2Ease of operation
If levers are mounted to a stationary bracket and do not move with the steering wheel, then the lever position changes relative to the steering wheel through the adjustment range, but this limits ideal positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator lever is mounted to move with the steering wheel rather than remaining fixed to the stationary bracket. This dynamic mounting allows the lever to maintain an ideal position relative to the steering wheel throughout the adjustment range, improving ease of operation and driver comfort while the rocker-arm mechanism provides the necessary adaptability.
3Device complexity
If a single lock device releases the assembly for both adjustments, then device complexity is reduced, but the actuator lever position changes relative to the steering wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The single actuator lever is dynamically mounted to move with the steering wheel, allowing it to maintain a consistent ideal position relative to the steering wheel throughout the adjustment range. This dynamic mounting resolves the positioning issue while the single lock device structure maintains low complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A steering column assembly of a vehicle has a rocker-arm lock device for locking an adjustable steering housing and co-extending steering shaft to a stationary bracket or chassis. For driver convenience and comfort, the steering housing and shaft are together adjustable with respect to the bracket. The rocker-arm lock device has a slot in at least one of the housing and bracket and a carrier for longitudinal movement through the slot that is substantially perpendicular to a rotation axis of the steering shaft. An indexing apparatus of the device has first and second indexing rails carried by at least one of the housing and the bracket having the first slot and a carriage engaged rigidly to the carrier. A rocker arm of the apparatus is supported pivotally to the carriage about a rocker axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the carrier. The rocker arm carries first and second pads spaced diametrically outward from one another with respect to the rocker axis and facing laterally toward respective first and second indexing rails for selective engagement of at least one of the first and second pads to the respective first and second indexing rails.